


Rooted In Me

by FriskyFritter



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Abuse, Alternate Universe, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Manipulation, Emotional Trauma, F/M, Nightmares, Original Character(s), Outlaw sans, Physical Trauma, Plant Gore, Possessed Sans, Protective Sans, Reward is sans, Risk is Frisk, Survivor Guilt, Tentacles, love is pain, original undertale characters - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-18
Updated: 2020-11-18
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:21:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27612689
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FriskyFritter/pseuds/FriskyFritter
Summary: Bonded by the dangers of the underground, Risk and Reward had made a quiet life for themselves. But something is stirring, threatening to destroy the life that the pair had called home. Reward had been able to handle the voices before, but they're starting to step out of the dark of sleep and into a waking nightmare. Can Reward keep it together for Risk long enough to solve his curse? Can Risk save Reward from the ghosts that tormented his mind?How can they escape whats rooted inside them?
Relationships: Frisk/Sans, Other Relationship Tags to Be Added, Risk/Reward - Relationship
Comments: 1
Kudos: 6





	Rooted In Me

**Author's Note:**

> Hi all! This is my first time ever writing a fanfiction, so please keep that in mind when reading!  
> I'm really hopeful to make an enticing series ^^ I'll get better! 
> 
> Please let me know what you think! I'm eager for any questions.

_Choking._

_That's how his episodes always started, an inescapable weight that squeezed cruelly in the midst of sleep. Running with no direction, screams that echoed off one another and built upon themselves. A familiar voice mocking from the depths of his mind again and again. On good nights, the nightmares would wake him, and on the bad nights.. well, he'd rather just be awake._

Reward opened his eye, awoken from his tormented mind by the vines that invaded his body. They were coiled around his throat this morning, squeezing uncomfortably, causing him to wheeze as he sat up. They were nothing new, thorned and curling as they gripped his bones. His mind was buzzing with the fading fear his nightmares left, slowly coming to his sense in the dim light of his room. He sighed. This had become a regular deal since he'd come into contact with the vines. It was routine. He climbed from bed, the grip of the appendages already easing as he became more active. As their grip eased so did the fear they brought with. He stretched his arms above his skull, feeling his bones pop and groan. A few stray growths had emerged from under his shirt. Even more had invaded his right eye socket. It wasn't much of a concern to Reward, that eye hadn't worked for a long time.. but it was annoying. He ran his hand along the growths, sighing as they moved under his touch. 

  
_'Risk will have to help me with these'_ he thought with a bit of frustration, feeling a bit guilty for what she would need to do. He got up from the bed to venture to the kitchen. He was careful entering the hall, steps light as he moved past a door. It was Risk's room. He didn't want to wake her just yet, not until he'd gotten the vines and himself under control. He made it into the kitchen without issue, grabbing a worn coat from the counter. He got himself dressed, making sure to cover the exposed vines the best he could. The last thing he wanted was to accidentally hurt Risk. That thought played out in his mind, causing him to frown deeply. No, he couldn't let himself do that again.

It hadn't been all peaches and cream since they met, that much was true. But he had to admit it was allot more bearable having the kid to look after. Somedays it was hard, really hard. Days when he had episodes were especially rough on the both of them. There were days where he'd wake up, confused, lost, and a bit worse for wear. But Risk was always there when he'd come to, keeping him from hurting himself. He hated worrying Risk, the sad, scared look on that sweet little face was enough to crush his soul. He'd been overgrown for awhile, long before Risk ever entered his life. Living off scraps, running from guards. No home, nobody to worry why he was out late.. He couldn't imagine living that way again. Its not that he couldn't live without Risk, but that he wouldn't. If anything ever happened to Risk..

He stopped himself before he could let the thought fester, not wanting to entertain any unwanted ideas. He needed to get some more wood for the home, and a walk outside sounded perfect. He grabbed a canvas bag from the living room. He made sure to flip the door knocker up before he left the cabin. It was a little thing him and Risk did, just to let the other know they'd gone out. He knew she was likely to be upset that he didn't come to her after an episode, but c'mon, he was fine. The little lady just worried too much, that was all. Well, that was a bit of a lie. His episodes had been getting worse, lingering well into the morning. But he wasn't planning on letting the little lady know that yet. She got worried enough with the normal episodes he had, so for as long as he could he was going to hide it. He had it under control! He tossed the bag over his shoulder, grabbing a hatchet from where it was stuck in a tree stump. With tool in hand he headed into the woodline that encompassed their little cabin. It was early morning and dim. A fresh layer of snow had fallen over night, Reward entertained the idea of him and Risk building a snowman. The idea was pleasant. Their cabin wasn't the fanciest place in the underground to be, but it was away from other monsters and the overgrowth that grew everywhere. It was their own little slice of paradise. It was luxury compared to their other options.. which wasn't many.

It wasn't much work to find wood, it just took time to chop and gather it. He panted through the work, breath foggy in the cold. They were full and well into winter, and it took a bit of work to keep the house warm. He didn't mind too much, it gave him time to calm down, to think. He piled split logs onto the canvas, frustrated at the protruding vines that caught themselves on his clothing. He was tempted to cut them himself. He huffed with a grin, thinking about the lashing he'd get from Risk if he did. The red cheeks she'd get from yelling would have almost made it worth it, eyes wide and fiery. The kid sure was a spitfire when it came to Reward's recklessness. He hoisted the bag over his shoulder, still grinning as the scene played out in his head. It entertained him on his way back home, finding steam rising from the crooked chimney of the cabin. The kid must have gotten up in the couple hours he'd been gone. Guess she was going to find out either way, there was no use avoiding her. He wiped his boots off on the outside doormat, sticking the hatchet back into the log. He gathered himself, tucking a few stray tendrils back under his clothing before entering the home.

It was warmer inside than before, the livingroom smelling of breakfast. Risk must have been awake for awhile. He dropped the bag beside the door, figuring there was no point in trying to be sneaky. He lumbered into the kitchen, still shaking off the cold that clung to him. He spotted the back of Risk's messy head. She barely glanced back at him as he entered the kitchen, turning back to whatever she had been cooking on the stove. Before Reward could say "good morning" Risk had whipped back to face him. Her eyes widened slightly as they locked on to Reward. Clearly she had noticed his messy frame, despite Reward's attempt at covering the vines. He smiled despite this, wanting to ease the increasingly upset look on the girl's face. He held up his palms, gesturing gently for her to calm down. She turned to fully face him, Reward now fully holding her attention.

"Easy-" He said softly. "Its not a big deal." He insisted, grabbing a chair as he slid it under himself. "Then why are you trying to hide it?" She countered with a knowing tone. He leaned on his palm playfully, watching the young lady turn the stove off. He had wanted to avoid her worrying over him so early. But that didn't seem to be likely with how she was acting. She crossed the kitchen, small hands cupping Reward's jaw to examine him. She carefully pulled back the fabric that covered the overgrown eye. She sucked her breath in through her teeth at the sight. Her hand traced along his jaw and down to his neck where other vines gripped him. She was gentle in the way she handled him, tender even in her examination. He guessed there were a couple benefits to her fussing, shutting his eye as he enjoyed her touch. "Its really not that bad kid.." He insisted, trying to ease her concern.

"Sans.." She attempted to get out, the skeleton cutting the statement short. "Ey.. what I say about that?" He warned, the vines tightening in response to the name. He grunted at the new pressure. The name carried a price tag on it, and a heavy dept. It weighed on him for years, it was an unbearable chain that bound him to a past life. Reward was the name she had given him. He snorted as he thought back on the memory. He could still remember it to this day, Risk meek and scared in a sweater that was too big for her. He'd found her wandering the underground with his poster in hand. She had assumed the title 'Reward' was his name. It was originally a joke, but it had grown on him. Risk had been pouting her lower lip at him as he reminisced, disturbed by the vine's movements. He eyed her, still grinning to himself. Having her gentle hands caressing him like this was a treat. He leaned his cheek into her palm, grabbing her attention for a moment. He stuck his tongue out at her, hoping to get a reaction. She sighed from her nose, giving him a reluctant smile in response. That is what made it all worth it. When she was happy, Reward was.

The little lady pulled away from him all too soon, wiping her hands on her apron. Reward took the chance to eye her over as she cleaned up. She was petite, almost fragile in the way she was built. It puzzled him how she treated him as if HE was the one ready to fall apart at any second. Her choppy brown hair swept up into cowlicks at her crown, hanging at different lengths above her shoulders. Despite the messy look of it all, it was kind of cute, suiting her soft face. That purple sweater still hardly fit her, hanging low enough to conceal what bottom she wore, if any. It had been a couple years since they met, she had changed so much in that time. And yet, at the same time, she was still the same. "Its allot this time-" She informed him, serious tone grabbing his attention.

"I know." He replied, tone more laid back as he shifted to sit up.

"We need to trim them.." She said. She opened one of the lower cabinets. She searched in it for a moment, Reward averting his gaze. She finally withdrew a pair of garden shears from deep inside. She held them uncomfortably in hand. He could see her hand shake before tightening on the grips. He is brow furrowed a bit. "Aw c'mon, it can wait til' after breakfast cant it?" He insisted, but the little lady wasn't having it. It was written on her face. "You look uncomfortable.." She argued, tone genuine. He chuckled, snorting slightly. "You look more uncomfortable than i do kid." He teased. But one puckered look from her and he knew that it was over. He relented, holding his hands up in defeat. "Alright kid! I can't argue when you're giving me that look." To be honest, he didn't mind avoiding the procedure in its entirety. It wasn't exactly the highlight of his week. But if he didn't keep it in check he knew it could become a real hazard. It was better now than later.

Risk pointed him towards the bathroom. Reward got up from his seat, obediently making his way. He turned on the lights before stepping into the confined space. He glanced into the mirror, just long enough to catch the tangle of dark purple thorns that had erupted from his right eye socket. They squirmed, making him grimace. He tried to avoid looking when he could, the less he saw it the less he remembered how he'd ended up with them. Not that he could entirely forget when these things were growing inside him. Risk stepped in behind him, grabbing a few towels from the closet. Reward knew the routine, undressing himself down to his shorts. Each piece of clothing removed revealed just how bad the vines had grown over night. They laced through his cracked ribs, around his spine, and into the back of his skull. Needless to say it was not that comfortable. They didn't bother with trimming the ones that grew too close to his bones or soul for fear of injuring him. They only bothering to trim the ones that stuck out to an uncomfortable extent.

Once down to his shorts Reward stepped into the tub, laying back against the cold metal. It was an unpleasant and familiar chill. Risk knelt on the edge of the tub, leaning over him to turn the faucet on. He was already tensing, hands gripping the sides of the tub in anticipation of what was coming. He was nervous, of course. No matter how many times he had been trimmed he had never quite gotten used to it. I mean, he was getting things cut off of himself, it wasn't exactly a haircut. He watched her grab the shears, expression complicated. He knew it was hard for her to do this, he'd do it himself if she had let him. But she insisted. Probably worried he might cut something important off. That was a pretty fair assumption. He cleared his throat.

"What's the matter kid? Not cut out for this?" He attempted humor to lighten the mood, laughing at it himself. He got a frown from her in response as she sat on the edge of the tub. He watched her lay out a towel in preparation. "Let me know if you need me to stop, okay?" She reminded him. "I always do." He offered back, giving her a reassuring smile. He tightened his jaw, giving her a final nod. He didn't need to say anything else, Risk nodding. The stray vines shifted at his nerves, Reward grabbing one that protruded from his ribs. He gripped it tight, holding it steady at the base for her. Her hand shook, unsteady. He watched her adjust her grip before reaching in. The shears clipped through the vine was a crunch, purple fluid oozing from the damaged stump. Reward tensed, grunting in response to the wound. Jesus, yeah that hurt. That REALLY hurt, in fact. The severed vine twisted in his hand, lashing about for a moment before going still. The sight made Risk grimace. Reward dropped it outside the tub, hands dripping. "C'mon kid, no point slowing down. It'll be worse if you do." Risk nodded.

\---

It hurt. She knew it did. Each crunch into the vegetation caused the skeleton to tense or groan. The sound was enough to make her dizzy. Risk knew this is what she had to do, but she still felt guilty for hurting him. No matter how hard it was on her however, she imagined it was much worse for him. Reward was incredibly brave in her eyes, quietly bearing with the trimming with as much grace as he always did. Her discomfort with the process meant nothing. The vines were tough, and took allot of effort to cut. She had to be especially careful around his eye socket, Reward prying the vines apart from one another to make her job easier. The running water carried away the flowing purple liquid, leaving the bathroom smelling earthy and metallic. She was a little nauseous.

Once the growths had been cut back Risk pulled away, dropping the shears. Her hands were soaked, shaking as the warm liquid dripped from her fingers. She turned her attention to Reward, watching him clutch his eye socket. He looked exhausted, and yet somehow relieved. She grabbed a towel for him, kneeling at the side of the tub. She pressed it against the trimmed vines around his ribs, dabbing the cut stubs. She hissed with a jolt, recoiling as the vines shifted suddenly, a stray thorn piercing her palm. Reward lifted his head, Risk checking her palm quickly. Blood beaded from a small cut. She reached back for the towel to finish cleaning him up, Reward's hand gently grabbing her wrist. It caught her off guard, looking to him. Something about his face let her know he didn't want her to continue. She nodded reluctantly, and he let her wrist go. He was a stubborn guy, she didn't bother pushing him on this point. She left him to treat his own wounds, moving to the sink to tend to her own.

It was minor in comparison, red and purple muddying in the sink before being flushed down the drain. Her palms and wrists were freckled with scars. They varied in size and severity, some faded and some new. They trailed up her arm, disappearing under her sleeves. They really piled up over the years, luckily it was never anything serious. She grabbed a band aid from the cabinet, patching up the small cut before turning back to where Reward was. He had stood up by this point, the flow of purple fluid slowly having lessened. A pile of discarded vines laid outside the tub. She stood in place, watching over him like a nervous mother. She wondered what went through his mind during these times, his face always going somber, eye looking off, as if somewhere else. She couldn't remember when she'd started doing this, not that it was important to remember. He had changed so much since they met, not in height or anything of that sort. Where once he was vibrant and catty, now he was more reclusive. It was rare they ever spent time so close to one another anymore. He kept getting further and further away. She worried about him, noting the scrapes and denting along his bones. It troubled her, and she wondered.. how long would he be able to hold himself together?

He must have caught her staring, or maybe he could tell she was thinking of him, turning to look at her. And just like that his same old smile was back, lazy and playful if only a little tired. "What? Got something on my face?" He attempted to joke. Her cheeks flushed red, caught off guard. Risk humored him, smiling as she put away the dirtied towels. "Yeah.. vines." She retorted. This made Reward laugh, he must not have expected a playful reply from her. She let the weight that had built up in her chest slip away. It was over, for today, and that was good enough for now. Reward didn't seem too worse for wear either. She grabbed onto the door, watching him carefully dry. "Come eat when you're done.. okay?" She urged him. With that she left the bathroom, leaving him alone to tend to what needed tending.

She headed back into the kitchen, rolling up her sleeves as she checked on the food she'd left on the stove. A bit cold, but that was an easy issue to fix. She turned the stove back on to finish making breakfast. She was lost in thought as she cooked. She often found herself wondering about the skeleton she'd shared several years with. Recently she'd catch him off guard looking troubled or upset, staring into the distance. He never admitted to her what he thought about, brushing it off as daydreaming or outright changing the subject. He was mysterious, and for all her questioning she'd barely got the skeleton to share a single piece of what was in his mind. He didn't owe her it, but sometimes she felt if he just told her what was weighing on him then maybe she could help. He was all she knew in the underground, and she yearned to know him, to really know him.

She was lost in thought, caught off guard as cold hands slipped under the collar of her sweater A chill ran up her spine, collar tugged up over face. She sputtered a moment, struggling with the fabric. She pulled it back down before turning to see who the culprit was. With no surprise, Reward was seated at the table, a casual grin on his face. He leaned on his elbow as if nothing had happened. He was hooded once more, fabric covering the now empty eye socket. Risk puffed, cheeks burning as she placed a palm on the counter. "Hey! Do you want me to burn the last of our eggs?" She raised a brow at him. His eye ran over her face, she could tell he was contemplating a response. He leaned back in the chair, creaking as he set his boots on the table. "Nah.." His response was tired.

Her face softened, turing the stove off. She emptied the contents of the pan onto two plates, carrying them to the table. There was a small one for herself, and a significantly larger one for Reward. She poked a bit at her own food, watching Reward eat his eggs. God, did he even chew? All those teeth and he practically swallowed his food whole. Six eggs, that's what he had every morning. That reminded her.. She cleared her throat a bit, waving her fork. "That was the last of the eggs, so try to enjoy them." Reward paused, egg hanging above his mouth. He watched her, the egg slipping from the fork. It landed with a wet plap over his eye. He leaned forwards, egg landing on the plate again. "Fuck-" He cursed, rubbing his sleeve over his eye. Risk snorted, covering her mouth at the sight. He squinted up from his sleeve, sticking his fork into the now mangled egg. "I'm sure there's a pun in this." He mumbled, dropping the egg into his mouth, successful this time. She smiled back at her plate, choosing to nibble on a strip of bacon.

It was quiet, it usually was. It hadn't always been this way, they used to laugh and joke about. Reward taught her how to cook and they'd wrestle. They didnt play much anymore.. She cleared her throat, speaking up. "I can go to get some eggs today, its not snowing." Reward turned his attention to her, and she was sure he was ready to argue about her departure. 'You don't know what its really like out there' she could hear him say. She shut it down before it could begin, shaking her head. "Don't you think I've been to the markets with you enough to know what to do?" She had only ever gone into the world of monsters when Reward was by her side. They were both not the most welcome visitors, so Reward made sure their identities were concealed whenever they did have to enter town. But she knew the routine, she could handle what needed to be done. Reward only shook his head at her, causing her to frown. "You're not going out there alone kid-" 

"I'm not a kid Reward!" She raised her voice, seeming to catch Reward off guard. She reached up, twisting her bangs in frustration. "I'm an adult- as hard as that is to imagine. I can handle it out there." She eyed the floor, brows furrowed together. She felt his hand gently take her own, easing it away from where it teased her hair. She looked up at him, both sharing a quiet moment. He pulled his hand away first, as if realizing the touch was inappropriate. There it was again, the recoil. He always pulled away from her. He sighed, looking away. He seemed to think for a moment before shutting his eye. "I don't think you can't do it kid- ugh," He scratched his cheek, and Risk noticed an uncomfortable look on his face. Almost embarrassed. "I just worry, thats all. You have no idea what happens to people out there."

"Then tell me." She insisted, leaning in, pleading. He watched her a moment, then pushed away from the table. He didn't say anything, taking his plate to the sink. Why couldn't he just tell her? She stood up, and readied herself to argue. But, to her surprise, he relented. "Alright.. you just- You have to promise me you wont do ANYTHING else. There, eggs, back." The momentum she had to press him for information on the underground died out. She was a little surprised he agreed. She nodded after a moment, still in a bit of shock. "Eggs, then back.." She repeated. He looked back at her, then wiped his face. His palm lingered on his face before dropping. "Alright.. Well, get ready."

She finished her breakfast, heading off to her room to get properly dressed. She didn't have a startling wardrobe to pick from, just a few tops, a few bottoms, and two pairs of shoes. She changed into her warmest set, a thick hand-knit sweater that hung to her knees, a long pair of bottoms, and her boots. She grabbed a mask off the wall. It was wooden, worn red paint covering the surface. It curled up into two short horns. She had to wear it when she went out as to not out herself as a human. Though, she did wonder how such a simple mask was enough to dissuade any suspicion. She guessed it didn't really matter so long as it worked.

She grabbed a basket and pocketed a bit of money for the groceries. She headed into the livingroom, Reward leaning against the front door, waiting. He had a complicated look on his face, standing up straight as she approached. She fussed with the basket a bit, watching him. "I'll be back fast, ok?" She offered, hoping to comfort him. As she reached for the door he stopped her. "Wait-" She pulled back, watching as he shrugged off the heavy coat he always wore. It re-exposed vine covered bone, but she didn't make a point to stare when she could help it. He draped the large coat over Risk's much smaller frame, the fabric swallowing her. She adjusted it around her, pushing her arms through the sleeves She looked up at him from the collar of fur. There was that look again, distant and distracted. She stared up into his face, and after a moment he seemed to notice. She waited for him to say something but he didn't, tugging her mask down so that it covered her face. "Don't take this off until you get back." He reminded carefully, watching her a bit longer before opening the door for her.

Risk stepped out into the cold morning air, turning back to Reward one last time. "I'll be back before dark, okay?" She offered as a last bit of reassurance. The skeleton nodded in turn, letting Risk leave the porch to head out on her own. Despite his agreement, she felt as though something was bothering the skeleton. Risk brushed it off as him being worried for her. She hugged his coat close around herself as she began down the worn path between the trees, welcomed by the fabric. It was still warm from where he'd worn it, and it made her heart flutter slightly. Come to think of it, this was the closest she'd come to hugging him in a long time. She pulled the hood up, the fur tickling her cheeks. It even smelled like him.. She smiled.

She didn't waste time in doing as Reward had taught her to. Don't stand out, don't speak up, mask on, head down. It was a little scary entering the town alone, admittedly. Luckily it was pretty quiet in the slums. Well she had nothing to compare it to, never having been to the highrise side of the underground. But she took what little Reward told her about it and kept it in mind. More vines grew here, squeezing and crushing buildings over time. They were the same as the vines that invaded Reward's body. It saddened Risk to see such lovely houses being buried under the growth, and scared her to imagine the same happening to Reward. No time to feel sorry though, she had a mission to complete. She wandered the old roads until she ran into the market place. It was livelier here, spotting a variety of different monsters shuffling about from vendor to vendor.

She stopped by a lamp pole, glancing over various paper signs that had piled up over time. She could remember when Reward's face was on every single pole. She smiled a bit, reminiscing on their first encounter. She was lucky he took it upon himself to help her. She let the memory fade away in its warmth and entered the market. She didn't mess about, heading only to the vendors that had what she needed. She was likely safe to talk, however she chose to sign to the monsters who questioned her. A few of the vendors recognized her, but only as the disguise she wore. They would engage in light conversation sometimes, and it made her smile. She enjoyed the change of scenery, and a new voice was always a welcome exchange. She was tempted to linger at the stall, thrilled at the chance at good conversation. But, with a pinch in her chest, she remembered what she was told. She politely thanked the monster, loading her basket with meats and eggs. Turning from the stall she felt a cold ache in her soul. She appreciated her safety, but she longed for connection, for change.

She was ready to head back to Reward. Well, she wasn't entirely keen on leaving so soon, but she had what she needed, and she didn't want to worry him by wasting any time. Something, however, caught her eye as she made her way out of the market. She paused at the vendor, stall covered with stacks of old books. But that wasn't what had her attention, it was a specific book. It was colored vibrantly, cover depicting a laughing human. She couldn't make out what it said on it's cover, but she was excited by the idea of getting Reward to read it to her. She spent a bit of extra coin on the book, and began her journey back home. She was excited to show Reward, excited for a new chance to engage him. She hummed to herself as she trot back towards home.

It was a quiet walk back, Risk adjusting the basket from arm to arm as she got tired. After awhile on the path she noticed something. Up ahead, something distant moved along the path. Nobody usually ventured out this far into the woods, not for any good reasons at the least. She couldn't make it out, slowing down to get a better look at it. A cold haze blurred the figure, she could see it moving however. She could feel her heart beginning to beat rapidly. Why? It struck her suddenly. She was out here alone. Reward was always with her out here, but now.. Goosebumps ran up her skin, causing her to suck her breath in. She shuddered and took a step back, not daring to move. As the figure swayed she caught a glimpse at what appeared to be.. vines. She felt the cold chill flush away, but something still felt.. wrong. "Reward? Did you follow me?" She called out, breathing out a nervous laugh. _'C'mon Reward'_ she urged silently, hoping to hear his voice call back to her. She didn't move closer, something in her soul didn't feel right.

His figure moved closer towards her in the snow, no reply coming from him. Her gut twisted, the uneasy feeling only growing. "Reward.." She called again, worry leaking into her voice. His vines were curling and flicking independently of one another. She grimaced, taken aback by the display. Reward rarely used his vines in front of her. She was suddenly scared. She began to back up, body burning and cold at the same time, blood racing. He only moved closer, feet dragging. Despite this he was faster than her, and was getting closer. He was close enough for her to see his face now. He looked dazed, eye locking onto her's through the mask. It sent a sharp jolt straight to her soul. He was having an episode- but it was day, how could he be dreaming if he was awake? Instinct kicked in, clearing any thought she had had in her head. Her mind urged her to run. Risk turned on her heels, turning back down the path. She ran. 

She could hear his movements behind her, mind flooded. _'Run run run run RUN RUN, JUST **RUN**!'_ She was in panic. She'd seen his episodes, but this was different. They were outside, she couldn't defend herself, she couldn't- Her movements were stopped suddenly, foot catching as she was sent face first into the snow. She felt something tighten around her boot, holding her where she fell. Risk quickly flipped over, basket strown around her in the snow. She looked to her ankle, purple vines wrapped around and gripping tightly. All she could hear was her heart pounding, boots approaching in the snow. She slowly lifted her head, Reward's frame looming over her. A vine lashed forwards, grasping her arm with a thorny grip. The spikes dug into the coat and bit into her skin. She gave a startled noise in response, frame pulled up from the snow. She tried to pull away, only successful in working the thorns deeper into her arm. Another tendril took her free arm, keeping her in place. Her struggling lessened, useless, looking up at the skeleton that entrapped her. He looked like a stranger, reaching for her face.

"Reward-"


End file.
